White
gas/petrol/Coleman fuel/benzina blanca is readily available from
many Ferretarias (?) in Huaraz and though it comes out of grubby
looking containers we filtered it and had no problems with our
cookers.

Contract with Maximo:We only used arrieros, cooks etc for our first trip up the
Quilcayhuanca valley. We had minibuses taking us up to the
roadhead at Pitec. Then we walked with burros up to the base camp
10-12 km up the valley. On our last day the arriero reappeared
without problem to take us back to Pitec where the minibus was
waiting for us. All went without hitch. In fact there was much
discussion with Maximo about the weight the Burros should carry and
after much argument he finally agreed to 35kg per Burro. We ended up
significantly over this even with a large pack each to carry
ourselves but when Maximo arrived he lifted the bags and announced
they were fine. On top of that the next morning when the Arrieros
arrived they raced around picking up every pack in site and loading
up the burros with all the planned packs and our packs we had
planned to carry. I estimate the final weight they were carrying was
probably around 50kg each. The initial contract is detailed below
but as is the way with these things a number of things were missed
out and the final contract is shown afterwards!

Initial Contract

Dollars

Cocinero (cook) 9 days

180

Arriero (mule handler) 4 days

40

5 Burros (mules) 4 days

100

Gas cooker and gas 9 days

40

Minibus to roadhead & return

50

410

Half paid up front with signed contract half at end.
This is about $300 less than the agencies were quoting.

Final Contract
My apologies for spelling and mixed language but it is copied
verbatim from Maximo's handwritten contract!

Lago ParonFor Lago Paron we took a taxi
from Caraz and carried all our supplies for several days in. You can
get porters to carry stuff from the dam (around 2-4 hours) but the
path is too rough in places for mules. So long as you are only going
in for three or four days and don't mind carrying a heavy pack many
areas can be approached in this way, however you then run the risk
of having your stuff stolen whilst climbing - regrettably this does
happen on a regular basis though we had no problems. This is one
advantage of having a cook as he will also be watching your kit. You
can hire a camp guard but for a few dollars more you might as well
have a cook!